Understanding community perceptions to integrate Traditional and Cultural Ecological Knowledge in the conservation of an endangered and endemic species

Traditional and Cultural Ecological Knowledge (TEK and CEK) integrate social, cultural, and environmental dimensions developed through generations of interactions with nature, with CEK emphasizing the cultural contexts that shape relationships between communities and biodiversity. Environmental perception, shaped by knowledge, values, and lived experiences, influences human attitudes toward wildlife and can inform conservation planning. We investigated 43 communities within Lear’s Macaw ( Anodorhynchus leari ) distribution range in the Caatinga of Bahia, Brazil, to assess community perceptions, ecological knowledge, and values attributed to the species. Between 2023 and 2025, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 460 interviewees, on species recognition, ecological knowledge, perceived threats, natural resource use, and attributed values. Among interviewees, high species recognition (93.9%) and frequent observations in the wild (95.2%) indicated strong local familiarity. Most interviewees (52.8%) perceived a recent population increase, consistent with population monitoring data. Knowledge of feeding ecology emphasized the importance of licuri palm ( Syagrus coronata ) and maize ( Zea mays ), resources of socioeconomic importance that are also associated with human-wildlife interactions and conflicts. Electrical infrastructure (38.1%) and retaliatory hunting associated with crop damage (14.8%) were among the most frequently perceived threats. Most respondents (87.6%) rejected removing animals from the wild. Values attributed to the species were predominantly aesthetic (e.g., beautiful), ecological (e.g., seed dispersal), and moral (e.g., living being, preservation). These findings show that local ecological knowledge can complement ecological monitoring by revealing how communities perceive population trends, ecological relationships, threats, and coexistence with Lear’s Macaw. Integrating CEK and community perceptions into participatory conservation and educational initiatives can strengthen locally grounded strategies for the long-term protection of the species.